A Time For Love
by AccioLumos1832
Summary: Andromeda Black always played the part of dutiful daughter, agreeing to enter an arranged marriage to Oliver Nott after graduation. But starting her sixth year, she meets Ted Tonks and learns that falling in love is never easy. With decisions to make about love or duty, will she get her happy ending?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story was originally my first Andromeda/Ted fanfiction but I was unhappy with it. It was very rushed so I decided to redo it and hopefully a lot more people will like it. In this story, Ted and Andromeda are the same age. **

**Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to the amazing JK!**

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><p>September 2nd was always full of anticipation of what the students could expect from the new school year. At breakfast that morning, most students were chatting about the new topics they would be taught in various subjects and the new third years were excited about the new privilege of going to Hogsmeade on certain weekends. But one student sat silently at the Slytherin table, eating her porridge slowly as her eyes skimmed through an article in the Daily Prophet. Andromeda Black had just started her sixth year at Hogwarts and wished it wouldn't go by so quickly as all her other years had. She had achieved good OWL grades and was starting her NEWT preparation. But she wished that she didn't have to grow up so quickly. Her father had arranged a marriage match to Oliver Nott, a fellow Slytherin sixth year who she detested. She loved her father dearly but she wished that she could marry someone she loved. She was only sixteen after all, she wanted to have a life. And by marrying Nott she wouldn't get that.<p>

Professor Slughorn sat opposite her, discussing her timetable for the next school year. She nodded her head, pretending to be interested as she was cleared for Divination, Potions, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy and Herbology. After telling her Head of House that she had no questions at present to ask him about her sixth year, the Potions Master smiled and handed her the timetable before heading up to the staff table.

"Andromeda." a rough voice called.

Andromeda shivered, wishing that she could hide behind the morning paper and pretend that she didn't exist. But it was too late to do anything, Oliver Nott sat down next to her and she wrinkled her nose. Oliver was a rather large boy; slightly overweight and wore a uniform one size too small. His strawberry blonde hair was gelled back which only made her think it needed to be thoroughly washed and his blue eyes were watching her greedily. Oliver couldn't wait to claim the Black fortune for his own.

"I can't wait until we get married." he said quietly, placing a hand on her knee.

Andromeda said nothing but rolled her eyes, placing the spoon back into her bowl of porridge and moving his hand away from her knee. If her mother had seen Oliver do that, she'd have been given a lecture on 'saving yourself for marriage' and that 'it's inappropriate for your betrothed to touch you before he takes your maidenhead' the lectures which she found rather old fashioned. Sure, she was saving herself but she wanted her first time to be with someone she loved and that someone felt the same about her and she had gone no further than heated touches and kissing in broom cupboards with a few boys who weren't someone her parents would have approved of.

"Our first born will obviously be a boy and we have to call him Theodore, after my father because he approached your father about our marriage and for that I am ever so grateful." Nott said proudly.

"Who says it will be a boy?" Andromeda asked

"It just will be." Nott stated, helping himself to some toast.

Andromeda yet again rolled her eyes, he wasn't the most intelligent boy there was. Clearly Oliver hadn't been educated about the way making a baby worked, there was a fifty-fifty chance of the baby being a boy or a girl but most pureblooded families wanted a male heir.

"And we'll take summer holidays in Peru-

"Oliver, stop making all these plans!" Andromeda snapped, pushing away her bowl of porridge and folding the newspaper.

Oliver blinked, his expression turning a little angry at her snappiness. That was another thing that she hated about arranged marriages, aside the fact that it was so old fashioned, was that many men believed that women should be treated like second class citizens.

"Why shouldn't I? You are my fiancée." he pointed out.

Andromeda rose from the table, turning her back on him and storming out of the Great Hall.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, his voice booming after her.

"To Divination." she replied bitterly.

"Classes don't start for half hour" Nott shouted but it didn't make any difference.

Andromeda let out a sigh of relief as she continued on her way towards the common room. She would give anything to be placed in another house, just so that she didn't have to put up with Oliver and his plans for their future. After saying the password to the stone wall, she walked up the small spiral staircase to her dormitory to collect her bag and Divination textbooks. Her parents never understood why she had taken Divination, they had always classed the subject as 'lunacy' but she wanted to be different from her sisters. She returned to the common room to find that Narcissa was at the bottom of the stairs.

"Cissy." Andromeda called.

The blonde haired Black turned around and smiled warmly. Bella used to tease their younger sister by saying that Narcissa was adopted, for Narcissa was the odd one out with her blonde hair and bright cobalt blue eyes and high cheekbones but truthfully, Narcissa resembled their mother. Whereas she and Bellatrix had inherited their fahter's heavy lidded eyes, Bella's a colour of black and hers a muddy brown. Although her hair was dark, her own colouring was more of a mousy brown.

"Dromeda." Narcissa said brightly, hugging her briefly.

The two sisters left the common room, taking a slow walk behind some third year Slytherins.

"Did you sleep okay?" Andromeda asked.

"Not too bad." Narcissa muttered.

"Looking forward to your fourth year?" she questioned.

"More to the Hogsmeade visits if anything." Narcissa admitted.

They walked up the steps that led them both to the entrance hall, with both sisters stopping. Andromeda knew that Narcissa hadn't eaten breakfast yet, her sister always dressed for the day and got her schoolbag ready before eating the first meal of the day.

"Are you coming for breakfast?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm not really hungry." Andromeda replied, a slight lie because she didn't want to sit with Nott for the remainder of breakfast.

Narcissa nodded and said her goodbyes before heading into the Great Hall. Andromeda started ascending the marble staircase to head in the direction of Divination when she tripped on a step and dropped her books. The students around her started laughing as she silently cursed herself before bending down to pick them up. She started shoving a few belongings that had fallen out of her bag back into it when suddenly she saw a boy with fair hair rushing up the stairs. The boy bent down and helped her pick up her books. She looked up and met the boy's gaze. Something took her by surprise, his smile. He was smiling at her. A genuine smile. Being Bellatrix's younger sister people were often scared of her due to her resembling Bellatrix more than Narcissa. Andromeda found herself returning the boys smile as they rose and stood on the stairs.

"Thanks."

"Not a problem." said the boy smiling.

"I'm Andromeda. Andromeda Black." she introduced.

The boy's smile faded slightly, "I know. You're Bellatrix's sister." said the boy, his tone of voice slightly wary.

Andromeda's face fell. In the past she had made friendships with the halfbloods and muggleborns that were in the other houses but those friendships had stopped when Bella had found out about them. Bella had hexed her friends for her own amusement, even going as far as to have one muggleborn student crawl to the class because she saw them beneath her, as did the rest of her family. Her sister had said 'mudbloods need to know their place when I am present and that place is crawling on the floor like a pathetic dog who has shamed his master." and ever since then, the people had been wary of the Black sisters. And clearly this helpful boy was another who thought her to be the same as her sister.

The boy's expression change to be apologetic when he saw that just by mentioning that he knew who she was had affected her rather badly.

"I'm sorry if I offended you." he apologised.

Andromeda smiled weakly and shrugged her shoulders. It didn't really matter any more but she just wished that she could be known by the other students at Hogwarts as 'Andromeda' and not as 'Bellatrix's little sister'.

"Doesn't matter, Bella had a reputation and because I look like her people seem to think I'm the same." Andromeda stated.

"I don't think you're like her. I mean I've never seen you hex someone for the fun of it." said the boy.

Andromeda, slightly taken surprised by what the boy had just said, raised her eyebrows.

"Really?" she asked with slight disbelief.

The boy nodded and once again Andromeda smiled, maybe this was her chance to prove that she wasn't anything like her older sister.

"I'm Edward Tonks, but people call me Ted." said the boy holding out his hand.

Andromeda placed her hand in his and shook it.

"Which way you headed?" Ted asked.

"Divination." Andromeda replied, rather too happily.

"Me too, shall I walk with you?"

"That'd be nice." said Andromeda with a smile.

She and Ted made their way to the north tower, chatting mindlessly as they walked through the crowded corridors as students rushed down to breakfast. Although having only become an aquaintance of Ted's a few minutes ago, she found that he was rather good to talk to.

"How come I never noticed you in Divination before?" she asked.

"You tend to keep to yourself." Ted said.

"Well then that will change, I'd like to get to know you better Ted." Andromeda smiled.

"That'd be great." Ted beamed.

"Would you sit with me? It might make others think I'm not so aloof." she joked.

Ted laughed slightly, "Sure, I'd love to." he replied.

And from that momenet on, everything had begun to change. And maybe, just maybe, her sixth year could be a little more pleasantly if she had someone like Ted to befriend and she could forget about the things expected from her and more importantly, she could forget that she was engaged to another boy who had been her father's choice.


	2. Chapter 2

After her first Divination class of the school year, Andromeda had found herself making a friend in Ted Tonks. She had learned that he was a muggleborn but that didn't bother her. She knew that it should, given her family background and everything but it didn't. She found Ted rather interesting, he had told her all about how he had grown up, that he first knew he was different because he was able to move things at the age of six without touching them. That his parents supported him no matter what and that him being different made them even prouder of him.

He had also told her that he had once been hexed by her elder sister. Ted had been on his way to Charms class when he had tripped over his untied shoelace and had knocked into her. The situation had been entirely accidental but Bella, being Bella, had used the jelly legs curse on him; telling Ted that the jelly legs curse wouldn't make a difference to him because he already had a problem with walking anyway and perhaps he should learn to walk properly when in the presence of purebloods.

This had also been the first time that Ted had noticed Andromeda. For Andromeda had seen what her sister had done and scolded her elder sister for cursing innocent people for something that couldn't be helped and was 'one of those things' that happened. Of course, Bella had merely shrugged and said that she didn't care, that people who were lesser than the Blacks and other pureblood families needed to see that they should fear them, that mudbloods should worship the ground that the purebloods walked upon. Ted remembered the evil glare that Bellatrix had received from Andromeda before stalking off to her class. And ever since then, Ted told her that although she had never acknowledged him, he was grateful that she had stuck up for him; a lesser in the eyes of her sister but an equal in hers and that is what made her different from her sister.

Andromeda had also learned that Ted was not only in her Divination class but they also shared Herbology and Transfiguration together too. This made Andromeda feel guilty that they shared three classes together and she had never known but Ted had told her that everyone knew she liked to keep her head down and he was right, she liked to keep to herself rather that then get detention for whispering in McGonagall's class.

As September drew to a close, a blustery wind came with October to Hogwarts. It was a Tuesday morning, the students of Slytherin wrapping their cloaks around them as they moved throughout the corridors in the dungeons, the blustery wind seemed to affect them more down there. The bell rang for lunch time and Andromeda smiled to herself, rolling up the parchment scroll that contained her now finished Potions essay. Her free periods now seemed to be taken up by more homework and she found that sixth year, despite all the free time, was just as busy as the previous one. She rose from the sofa, stuffing the scroll and textbook into her bag when the stone wall parted and Narcissa entered the common room.

"Cissy, are you coming for lunch?" Andromeda asked.

"Yes, I just need to get my Herbology book. Professor Sprout keeps moaning to Professor Slughorn that I keep forgetting it." Narcissa grumbled, dashing up the staircase that led to the girl's dormitory.

Andromeda sighed impatiently and began to tap her foot against the stone floor as she waited for her sister to return. Five minutes passed. Seven. How long did it take to get a textbook? She was about to leave for the Great Hall when Narcissa finally returned, reading a letter and one unopened one in her spare hand.

"About time!" she complained.

Narcissa looked up from her letter and handed her the unopened one.

"Father sent you a letter with mine." Narcissa replied, putting her own into her bag.

She tore the letter open and followed Narcissa out into the corridor.

_Dear Andromeda, _

_I hope that you are well and coping with the transition from OWL to NEWT Level. Your mother and I are doing well, thank you for asking in your last letter and as far as I am aware, your sister is away with Rodolphus presently. _

_I have received word from Theodore Nott regarding you and his son. His son claims that you are avoiding him at all costs. Andromeda, you know that he is your betrothed and you should be spending a little more time together before you marry him. It will allow you to get to know the boy a little better. Whatever it is about this boy that makes you dislike him, please put that aside and make the effort. It will make me happy to see that you are at least trying._

_Your Father_

_Cygnus Black._

Andromeda groaned in frustration, screwing the letter into a ball in her hand before shoving it inside her bag angrily, startling Narcissa with her outburst.

"Dromeda, what is it?" Narcissa asked.

The two girls reached the entrance hall, stopping just in front of the marble staircase. She hated Nott and she didn't want to be his wife, she didn't want to join the Nott family; they were all egotistical and the only one who was decent was Oliver's younger sister Jemima who happened to be Narcissa's best friend.

"Father is insisting that I spend more quality time with Oliver, in order to get to know him better." Andromeda replied in a whisper.

Narcissa said nothing as they walked into the Great Hall but smiled sympathetically. Andromeda knew that she could confide in her little sister about her marriage match with Oliver Nott. Narcissa disliked the boy too, finding him rude, vain and selfish; all three things which she wouldn't want in a suitor. Not to mention his lack of table manners and treating females as inferiors just as much as he did with half-bloods and muggleborns. Andromeda didn't want those things in a suitor either but had agreed to the marriage because it made their father happy.

They took their seats at the Slytherin table with a little gap between them and a few seventh years. She quickly glanced up to see that Nott was sitting with Lucius Malfoy and the other seventh years discussing the Quidditch season and the likelihood of smashing Hufflepuff in their first match. Andromeda began helping herself to some shepherd's pue when Nott slid down the table to sit next to her. He tapped her on the shoulder which caused her to shiver, she didn't want him touching her. Andromeda, now put off eating her lunch, turned to face Nott with raised eyebrows; wondering what he wanted.

"Oliver."Andromeda greeted with fake enthusiasm, "What can I do for you?"

He didn't seem to know that she was being sarcastic in her enthusiasm to talk to him as he snaked his right arm around her waist and shifted even closer to her. She tensed in his possesive hold and wriggled slightly to try and free herself but he only held her tighter.

"You shouldn't squirm so much, the anticipation; I feel it to and it makes me want you even more." Nott whispered huskily into her ear.

Andromeda felt her stomach churn, just the thought of being wanted in that way by Oliver Nott make her physically sick.

"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to Hogsmeade on Halloween weekend?" Nott asked brightly.

Andromeda felt physically sick, she didn't like him touching her or whispering dirty things in her ear in the way that a lover would. But Andromeda couldn't refuse his offer of a trip to the village. She didn't want to displease her father by continuing to avoid Oliver, as far as her father was aware she was okay with the arranged marriage because she had agreed to it. But she had only agreed to it because she knew it would make her father happy.

"Sure, I'd love to." she replied.

Nott's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning getting all the presents they wanted.

"Great!" he exclaimed happily, "I'll pick you up in the entrance hall at eleven o'clock that morning."

He gave her a tight squeeze before getting up from the table and practically skipped his way out of the Great Hall. Andromeda's face fell in disgust as she shoved her shepherd's pie away. Narcissa, who had finished her portion, looked up at Andromeda as she helped herself to some pumpkin juice.

"At least father will be happy with your efforts." Narcissa noted.

"I'm not hungry, if you need me I'll be in the library." Andromeda grumbled.

Narcissa nodded as Andromeda rose from the table and grabbed her schoolbag from the floor. Andromeda hurried out of the Great Hall, leaping two steps at a time before dodging past several students who were on their way to lunch. She wished that she hadn't agreed to the marriage or had at least agreed to marry someone she could at least tolerate. The library was a safe place for her to spend the rest of lunch, as far as she was aware Oliver had never stepped foot in the library, maybe he didn't even know where it was but for now the library would be her sanctuary.

Once inside the library, she sat herself at an empty table and pulled out her Transfiguration textbook. She opend it and began to read the first paragraph, unaware that Ted had seem her and had sat down in the chair opposite her.

"Andromeda?"

She looked up and blinked, wondering how long he had been sitting there and if she had been that rude in not noticing him.

"Hi Ted, sorry I didn't see you." she said apologtically.

Ted smiled as he went into his own bag and pulled out his unfinished Care of Magical Creatures essay.

"It's okay, if something is bothering you then I can sit somewhere else." Ted said quietly.

Andromeda shook her head, "No I'm sorry, it's just Nott." she muttered.

"What's he doing?" Ted asked, pulling a quill and ink bottle from the bag.

"Wanting to spend time with me, his father wrote to mine saying that I'm avoiding him." Andromeda replied.

Ted looked at her rather puzzled as to why Nott would do that as he placed the quill and ink bottle next to his essay. Andromeda sighed, knowing that Ted wouldn't be aware of the pureblood customs due to their different worlds.

"He sounds quite possessive of you, are you like engaged to him or something?" he joked.

"Unfortunately I'm to marry him one month after we graduate." Andromeda replied, shutting her textbook.

Ted's eyes widened in surprise, clearly he hadn't been expecting a serious answer from her but she wasn't going to joke about her situation.

"You're engaged? To Oliver Nott? But you're sixteen!" Ted exclaimed.

Andromeda hushed im as Madam Pince glared at them from the librarian's desk, her irritated look told them both to be quiet. Andromeda turned back to Ted and exhaled heavily.

"My family is one of the wealthiest in our world. In pureblood families it is quite common for arranged marriages to happen." Andromeda explained.

Ted nodded his head but the confused expression on his face told her that he didn't get it and although she didn't want to go into the discussion of pureblood ways, she needed to explain it to him.

"Purebloods are prejudiced against those who are different, you know this from the way my sister treated you. For instance my mother was part of the Rosier family, a pureblood family with French roots, My Aunt Walburga married her first cousin. My sister was forced to marry into the Lestrange family because she was caught whoring herself out with her husband before marriage and that was the punishment he saw fit for her. If anyone marries a halfblood or a muggleborn then they are made an outcast and everyone refuses to associate with that person. It's to keep the families pure." she explained.

Ted nodded again, "It seems a bit extreme in my opinion." he muttered.

"It is." she agreed.

Ted dipped his qull into the ink bottle, mindlessly writing on his parchment whilst Andromeda reopened her book and picked up the line where she had left off. After several minutes, Ted finished his essay and rolled the parchment back up. Andromeda looked over the top of her book, the sound of her stomach rumbling causing Ted to laugh slightly.

"Are you hungry?" Ted asked, placing his belongings back into his bag.

"A little. Nott put me off my shepherd's pie" Andromeda replied bitterly, she loved the shepherd's pie at Hogwarts.

Ted smiled, "I know where the kitchens are and the house elves are quite attentive and eager to help. They'll prepare anything you like." he tempted.

Andromeda found herself smiling, she knew that there was only a few minutes left of lunch and she was due in Potions afterwards. Potions with Nott or a late lunch with Ted? She knew which one she'd rather do.

"Okay take me to the kitchens, I quite fancy a chocolate éclair." Andromeda whispered.

Shoving her book into her bag, the two rose from the table and left the library and headed down to the kitchens; Andromeda finding that just by spending a little time with Ted made her forget the repulsive feelings she felt towards the boy she was due to marry.


	3. Chapter 3

Halloween came around too quickly for Andromeda's liking. Ever since she had reluctantly agreed to go on a trip to the village wiht Bott, she had been praying that Oliver would come down with an illness so that their 'date', as he had been calling it, would be cancelled. But alas, Nott was in perfect health or as perfect as he usually was. So she had no choice but to go on this stupid day out with the boy she found the most revolting in her year or even the entire school. She didn't bother to dress in anything fancy, picking out the dress that Bella and Rod had gifted her the previous Christmas; a black knee length dress with netting around the cuffs, neck and hemline. Andromeda tied her hair into a messy bun with loose strands framing her face, feeling that Oliver wasn't worth the effot and that he would find her lack of good appearance would put him off.

She left the common room, wishing that she could have gone with Narcissa instead but Nott was already waiting for her in the entrance hall. He had dressed in his fanciest dress robes, a murky green colour that she suspected had to do with his pride of being in Slytherin. His eyes wondered from her face and down to her feet before meeting her eyes again. Andromeda wished that he would say how much he hated the way she looked, threaten that he wasn't going to take her to the village but he did nothing of the sort. Instead, he smiled widely and wrapped an arm around her before placing a kiss to her cheek; his breath smelling of the French onion soup that had been served as an early lunch option.

"You look great." he whispered into her ear.

Andromeda swallowed the large, repulsive lump in her throat as he signed the two of them out. They left the castle, linking arms as they walked down the driveway. He nattered on about the new shops that had opened up, a new tea shop named Madam Puddifoot's and a new jewellers that he wanted to take her to in order to buy her an engagement ring to make it official.

"Oliver, is it really necessary to make our engagement official with a ring? It's already official, the pre-contract signed by our parents. The wedding is going to happen so in my eyes there is no point in wasting money on an engagement ring." she said, perhaps a little too loudly.

Oliver frowned, looking slightly upset that she didn't want an engagement ring.

"Most girls want a ring, something to show off to those who have one not quite so flashy." he muttered.

"I'm not most girls." Andromeda replied harshly.

No more was said on the subject as they continued to walk around the village, stopping for a coffee in the new tea shop and stopping in Scrivenshaft's quill shop so that Oliver could buy a new quill, having had his destroyed when he had spilt a potion on it during Potions class. It wasn't until she insisted on looking in Honeydukes that she had a chance to escape. The sweet shop was the most popular shop among the students of Hogwarts, every corner was crammed and you had to physically squeeze past anyone just to get in. Due to the crowds, Andromeda had managed to free herself from Nott's hold and went to the far corner where the fizzing whizzbees were usually stacked. She felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned to see her sister grinning at her.

"Cissy what-"

But Narcissa didn't let her speak, she shoved a ginger wig into Andromeda's hands and continued to grin.

"I do not usually agree with avoidance of a suitor but I thought that just this once, you would like an escape and I should help you." Narcissa whispered.

"Thank you!" Andromeda squealed and hugged her sister briefly before pulling the wig on and rushing through the crowds.

"Ah Narcissa, have you seen Andromeda? I seem to have lost her." she heard Oliver say.

She didn't turn back but held a laugh when she heard her sister tell Nott that he seemed to lose everything, quills, house points, his wand and now Andromeda and perhaps he should consider some extra help with his NEWT examinations in case he were to lose marks and end up with fail marks across the board. Andromeda's heart skipped a beat in joy at the gratefulness she felt for her little sister's help. Narcissa was rather old fashioned, like their mother, when it came to the time of having to be courted and betrothed to someone. For the past few weeks she had been dreading the trip to Hogsmeade and had spoken with Narcissa about ways in which she could get out of it; only to receive a reply of tough love and the lecture about having a duty to their father. The last thing she had expected about today was help from her little sister.

Andromeda managed to get to the door, pulling it open with the October breeze hitting her face as she hurried up the high street. She hid her face with her cloak to prevent her fellow Slytherins from recognising her and telling Nott the direction she had headed in. Dashing past people, she decided that her best chance of not being found by Oliver was to go to the Hog's Head; the village's less popular pub. She knew that Nott believed that she liked to be surrounded by people and not be on her own but that was never the case. She had her friends, her sister but sometimes she felt that it was best to be on her own sometimes; it allowed her to think and breathe.

She walked down the country lane that led her to the Hog's head, looking back to make sure that there was nobody around to see her. The next thing she knew she had bumped into something and fell to the ground, the wig falling off her head and resting beside her. She looked up, her anger fading when she saw it was Ted standing before her.

"I'm sorry Andromeda, I wasn't looking where I was going." Ted apologised.

"It's okay, I wasn't either." Andromeda smiled.

Ted held out his hand to help her to her feet, Andromeda took it; surprised at how soft his skin was compared to Oliver's. Once she was on her feet and the wig in her hand, they chatted for several minutes mindlessly about her 'date' with Nott and her story of how she had escaped him from Honeydukes.

"You're lucky that your sister helped you otherwise you wouldn't be telling me this amusing story." Ted laughed.

"We wouldn't be going for a drink." Andromeda corrected, heading towards the pub.

"Okay I get it, I'm a rebound date." Ted joked as he followed her.

She shook her head seriously, knowing that if her day out with Nott had been a real date, she would prefer to go on one with Ted ten times over.

"You'd never be a rebound date." Andromeda said honestly.

"So I'd be a good date?" Ted asked with a cheesy smile.

Andromeda laughed slightly and smiled as the two went up to the bar to order their drinks. Ted looked at her expectantly, wanting an answer to his question that she had yet to give. She paid for their butterbeers before the two of them headed to a table in the far corner from the door, sitting down with her back to it and placing the wig back on her head securely.

"Who said this was a date?" Andromeda questioned.

"You never said it wasn't." Ted pointed out teasingly.

"Well how about a 'friend date', would you settle for that?"

Ted pursed his lips together as he considered her compromise. Andromeda watched him and smiled as he took a swig of butterbeer before returning her smile.

"Okay I'll settle for that. Besides if it were an actual date, I don't think my girlfriend would like it if we were on an actual date." Ted laughed.

Andromeda felt stunned to learn that Ted had a girlfriend, he was rarely seen with other girls when she smiled or waved at him between classes and most free periods they sat together in the library.

"You have a girlfriend?" Andromeda asked.

"Yeah her name's Delia. She's a sixth year like us but in Ravenclaw." Ted answered..

Andromeda took a swig of her butterbeer before placing it on the table in front of her.

"Then she's a lucky girl." Andromeda complimented.

"You aren't the typical Slytherin are you Andromeda Black?" Ted asked

"Does that surprise you? That I'm not scheming or manipulative." Andromeda joked.

Ted nodded, "It's one of the things I like about you." he replied honestly.

They sat in silence for a few minutes longer, draining the rest of their butterbeers. Andromeda had only known Ted for a few weeks but the past few weeks had made her happier just by knowing him and gaining a good friendship with the Hufflepuff boy. Once she placed the empty bottle next to his, she met his curious gaze.

"Ted, do you consider us friends?" she asked quietly.

He nodded, to her surprise, "Of course." he replied.

"Can you call me Dromeda if you do? It's what all my friends and family call me and I've begun to belive that we have gained a strong friendship." she admitted.

They rose from the table as she checked her watch, not surprised by how much time had passed since she had escaped Nott. They left the less popular pub and walked back up the country lane that connected to the high street.

"Dromeda it is." he stated with pride.


	4. Chapter 4

As expected, when the quick arrival of December came to Hogwarts; snowfall and lfizzards came with it. Herbology lessons were cancelled and theory lessons took place in classrooms inside the castle due to the heavy snow and wind but the Artic weather conditions didn't stop the students from putting on their winter cloaks and heading outside to have a snowball fights with their friends. Andromeda and Ted were often together, going for a walk in the grounds when the snow had stopped, studying in the library and walking to class together. They had both come to consider the other as a good friend and Andromeda had even met Ted's girlfriend Delia, although Andromeda found the girl perfectly nice, she wouldn't exactly see herself hanging out with her friend's girlfriend due to the paranoid looks the girl gave her.

In the middle of December, Andromeda left the Slytherin common room on a Saturday morning to meet Narcissa in the entrance hall. It was the last Saturday before they were due to return home for the Christmas holidays and they had both agreed to go Christmas shopping together. They were yet to buy their parents and Bellatrix a gift and she considered herself lucky that this time she got to decline Nott's invitation due to her betrothed being forced to go Christmas shopping with his sister Jemima.

"Morning Cissy." Andromeda greeted.

Narcissa pulled her cloak tighter around her as they joined the queue to sign out. Andromeda stared at her sister, knowing that Narcissa was in a mood and something was bothering her.

"What's wrong Cissy?" she asked.

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, "As if you do not know." her sister hissed.

"Tell me." Andromeda pressed.

Narcissa walked up to the caretaker, signing the two of them out before stopping at the front doors of the castle. The two pulled the cloak fastening tighter before wrapping their scarves around their necks.

"Well?" Andromeda questioned.

Narcissa looked around, making sure that nobody could eavesdrop.

"You spend all your time with that mudblood boy you met at the start of term, have you no shame? Everything that our parents have taught us and you befriend one of them? It appears, Andromeda, that you are a liar to the beliefs you claimed to share with us; your family and friends." Narcissa sneered.

"I don't spend all of my time with him and just because he has a different background to me, why shouldn't I be friends with him?" Andromeda questioned.

"That is precisely the reason! He is from a different world to us. He does not belong to our world having no experience with magic until Dumbledore turned up on his doorstep on his eleventh birthday and told him about it. Muggles are filth, the bottom of the pile and they need to be crushed."

Nothing more was said on the subject as they both wrapped their scarves up to their noses and braced the stormy weather outside. Both holding on to the other as the wind tried swept violently toward them, trying to knock them over into the thick layer of snow that was beneath their feet. When they finally reached the village, they decided to put their discussion to one side and get their Christmas shopping over and done with.

The snowfall had eased up by the time they had exited the new jewellers that sat on the high street, having purchased their mother a pair of diamond earrings but had failed to find anything that would live up to Bellatrix's tastes.

"Perhaps we could convince father to take us to Knockturn Alley? We may be able to find something for Bella in there." Narcissa suggested quietly.

"Possibly, maybe we could go when he picks us up from King's Cross? It is a good place to find Bella a Christmas present." Andromeda agreed.

The girls moved on to Honeydukes, deciding to get the busiest shop out of the way with and their friends presents. When they entered the sweet shop, Andromeda ended up separated from her sister as she searched for some fizzing whizzbees. She had come to learn that Ted rather enjoyed this sweet and he had told her of the time he had first taken one, when he was home for the summer holidays. His parents had become fascinated even more with the magical world after seeing their son float in the air for a minute.

She grabbed on of the remaining bags off the shelf and continued through the crowded shop to find Narcissa. She found her sister already at the till so she gave Narcissa the fizzing whizzbees and soem money and decided to exit the shop to wait for her sister. It had stopped snowing and the harsh winds had calmed down to a slow and icy breeze but the snow had left a thicker layer of snow on the ground than it had when they had left the castle. When Narcissa emerged from the shop, she handed over Andromeda's one and the two walked up the high street once more.

"What shall we get father?" Andromeda asked.

"Mother wrote to me last night saying that father's quills are getting a little worn out so I thought we could go to Schrivenshaft's?" Narcissa suggested.

Andromeda nodded in agreement and the two sisters walked quickly to the quill shop, entering and browsing at the range of quills that the shop sold. Narcissa was rather taken with a white peacock quill whilst she had found an orange fwooper quill that she quite liked. After deciding to buy their father both when they couldn't decide between the two, the sales assistant took their money and placed both quills in separate black velvet boxes before placing it in a carrier bag and handing it to them.

"Well that is mother and father done, just Bella left now." Narcissa said, shivering at the cold as they left the shop.

But Andromeda didn't get a chance to reply as they headed to the The Three Broomticks for a butterbeer, Ted called her as he exited Zonko's joke shop with Delia and made his way over to her.

"Dromeda, are you coming?" Narcissa questioned as Ted continued to walk over to them.

"I can't ignore him Cissy, it'd be rude." Andromeda answered.

"It is nice to see where your priorities lie." Narcissa sneered as she started to walk off.

"Narcissa, wait. You can talk to him-"

But her sister laughed cruelly, "Oh Andromeda, if you think I want to socialise with a mudblood then you do not know me at all." she said and walked off towards the pub alone.

"Hello Ted." Andromeda greeted, once her friend and his girlfriend caught up to her.

"Doing some shopping?" Ted asked, nodding to the bags in Andromeda's hand.

"Yes, I've just finished my parents and a few friends." Andromeda replied.

She didn't fail to notice the filthy look that Delia was giving her, she didn't understand why or what she could have done to receive a look like that from Delia.

"Ted, I'm going to the pub. I'll see you later." Delia declared.

"Don't go on my account." Andromeda said.

"I have friends to meet." Delia said sourly.

Andromeda looked away awkwardly as Delia placed a rather enthusiastic kiss on Ted's lips before she walked away, smiling triumphantly. Ted looked at Andromeda apologetically about his girlfriend's odd behaviour.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say she didn't like me." Andromeda guessed.

"She doesn't and I could say the same of your sister." Ted chuckled nervously.

"Narcissa takes more after Bellatrix than she does with me." Andromeda explained.

Ted nodded, "Delia thinks you're like Bellatrix. That you befriended me to humiliate me later on to impress your Slytherin friends." he said

"I'm nothing like Bella." Andromeda scoffed.

"I know that." Ted assured her.

There was a moment's awkward silence and smile between the two friends as the snow started to fall again, only lightly this time. Andromeda handed over the Honeydukes bag to Ted, deciding to give it to him now incase she didn't have a chance to before she went home for the holidays.

"It's a Christmas present."

Ted smiled at her as he took it, handing over his own identical bag from Honeydukes to Andromeda. She took it and thanked him but looked at it quesionably.

"I got you something as well."

In the distance they watched as a group of second years started a snowball fight and Andromeda felt a little envious at the amount of fun they seemed to be having. She had never participated in one, having never been allowed to by her parents and Bellatrix had always made sure that she followed their parents rules when she started at Hogwarts. Ted saw the look on her face and scooped a tiny ball of snow into his hand before throwing it at her with a delightful laugh.

"What was that for?" Andromeda shrieked.

"The look on your face Dromeda, it seems that you want to have fun but are forbidding yourself from doing so." Ted replied.

Andromeda shrugged, "Blacks are ladies. Once wen I was six, we were at a summer brunch with the Malfoys. My father caught me doing cartwheels in my dress and said that if he ever caught me doing something that unlady like again, he'd forbide me from going to Hogwarts. It's just the way I've been brought up." she sighed unappily as she remembered the memory.

Ted looked at her sympathetically, everyone should be entitled to a little bit of fun every now and then. Andromeda included, no matter what her background was. A thought suddenly occurred to him. He bent down and scooped up a bit of snow again. Andromeda looked at him curiously and with a huge grin on his face, threw the clump of snow into her face. Andromeda frowned and then stared at him evilly as her face grew red from the cold contact of the snow. She bent down and grabbed a handful of snow before standing back up again and throwing it back in Ted's face.

Both of them grinned at each other as they rushed down to the ground to form another snowball and Andromeda ran up the high street as Ted chased her. For what seemed like an hour, they both sneaked up on each other and laughed during their snowball fight. For the first time in years, Andromeda felt gleeful at how much fun she was having with her newly formed friend.


	5. Chapter 5

The blizzardy conditions that were introduced with December contiuned well into the middle of January at Hogwarts. Although most people still enjoyed the snowball fights and cancelled lessons outside, the sixth years were too busy to complain about the weather. Since the first day back of the new term, it seemed that all the Professors were not just giving them new work to do in class and to practise as homework, they wanted essays about things that they had already taught to their students. Luckily for Andromeda, she had found a 'study buddy' in Ted.

Unfortunately for them both, Oliver was starting to notice the amount of time the two spent together. Nott had taken it upon himself to find out as much as he could about the boy his fiancé was practically spending all her time with. He knew that the boy was a mudblood and was in Hufflepuff, which was a bad thing because Hufflepuffs were known for their loyalty so he had to resort to hexing and physical violence to learn anything about the mudblood.

It was a rather cold night at the end of January when Andromeda closed her textbook and checked her watch, seeing that it was time for dinner. She packed up her belongings and left the library, wondering what was on the menu for tonight's meal. As she turned the corner, she gasped in surprise and dropped her books to the ground. Nott had jumped out of nowhere. He grinned at her sickly as he watched her scramble around the floor to pick up her belongings.

"You idiot, why'd you do that for?" Andromeda grumbled as she frowned at him.

"I wanted to surprise you." Nott replied, innocently.

"Well you certainly achieved that." Andromeda congratulated sarcastically.

She started to make her way to the Great Hall, rolling her eyes as Nott trailed behind her like a lost little puppy. Andromeda didn't understand how Oliver couldn't get how annoying he was and that just by being in his prescene made her cringe.

"What do you want Oliver?" Andromeda snapped, turning around and glaring at her betrothed.

Nott was taken aback by her outburst, hanging his head in hurt as he showed her that she had hurt his feelings. It hadn't been her intention but she wasn't in the mood for his company today.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you." Nott mumbled.

"I'm sorry for yelling but you could just ask me instead of following me around." Andromeda apologised, curtly.

Nott seemed to brighten up a little as he met her stare and smiled.

"Can I sit you you at dinner?" Nott asked.

"Sure." she grumbled.

She knew that if she refused, Oliver would most likely write another letter of complaint to his father; who would then write to her own and scold her for not spending time with the man she was going to marry in two summers time. Nott beamed as he walked side by side with Andromeda into the Great Hall. They sat at the Slytherin table, tucking into their sausage and mash as it appeared before them. Nott poured them both a goblet of pumpkin juice each, causin Andromeda to frown as she watched him; knowing he was acting weirdly. As she took a bite of mashed potato, she noticed that Oliver was watching her closely.

"Is something wrong, Oliver?"

"No, I'm just really looking forward to our wedding." Nott smiled.

They ate the rest of their dinner in awkward silence. Nott noticed that Andromeda kept glancing over at the Hufflepuff table and smiling at Ted. He felt slightly betrayed by her, _how can she associate with a mudblood? _he thought to himself as he finished his meal before Andromeda. He didn't bother saying goodbye to her as he got up from the table, she was too distracted to see him leave at the precise moment her mudblood friend did.

He folowed Ted out of the Great Hall and down the corridor that led to the kitchens, picking up his walking pace so he could catch up to the boy who had the attention of his fiancé. Once he reached the mudblood he grasped his elbow tightly before pushing him into an empty broom cupboard. Ted looked up at him surprised, clearly he hadn't been expecting a confrontation. Nott closed the door of the cupboard behind him before turning to face Ted, clicking his knuckles as he formed his hands into fists.

"Do you know who I am?" Nott asked.

"Oliver Nott. Slytherin hard boy and one of the bottom students of the year I believe?" Ted mocked.

Nott glared and looked down at the mudblood in superiority.

"The difference between us mudblood is that I am from a proper lineage of pureblood wizards whereas your lineage is nothing but filthy muggles. It's for that reason that Andromeda is marrying me in two summers time." Nott growled, threateningly.

Ted raised his eyebrows at the tone of jealousy in Nott's voice.

"And what is your problem with me exactly?" Ted asked. "Besides my heritage I mean."

"Stay away from Andromeda." Nott demanded.

"You're jealous of the friendship we have?" Ted questioned with a slight laugh.

Nott continued to glare at the mudblood, knowing that there was more to the two of them spending time together than 'friendship'.

"It's more than that, you're just to thick to even realise it yet. But know this mudblood, she is mine. The moment we graduate, she will never see you again. Her father would never allow her to associate with filth like you. Just to be clear, there is no competition between you and I. My family's rich and well connected. I can provide her with a comfortable lifestyle of a housewife, I can provide her with respect of pureblood aristocracy and in return she'll bear me sons. She's to remain my virgin fiancé until the night I claim my conjugal rights as her husband and believe me, the wait is worth it. All you would be able to offer her is a pathetic desk job at the Ministry whilst she struggles to raise the kiddies on a pathetic salary that you bring home. Stay away from her mudblood, or suffer the consequences."Nott threatened.

To demonstate his point, Nott picked up one of the school brooms and smashed it on the floor until it lay in a thousand pieces. Ted said nothing but watched as Nott threw the remaining pieces of the broom to the ground before opening the door to the cupboard. Ted shoved his way past the bully, looking him directly in the eye defiantly.

"Andromeda is just a good friend of mine. If one day, things became more than friendship, I can offer her much more than you ever could." Ted declared.

With that, Ted hurried to the Hufflepuff common room, leaving Nott to stare after him in confusion. He was nothing more than a filthy mudblood. He, Oliver Nott, could offer Andromeda expensive holidays and a nice house to manage, what could a pathetic, filthy mudblood have that would be more to Andromeda?


	6. Chapter 6

February arrived with a buzz of romantic excitement in the air, Valentine's day was approaching fast. As usual, there was a Hogsmeade visit scheduled for the most romantic day of the year and the tradition for the students of Hogwarts to go to the village with their dates. The buzz of conversation drifted between clueless boys on what to buy their girlfriends as a token of their affection to the rumours on what the teashop would be like, where apparently it was said to be the place to be on Valentine's day.

Once again, Oliver asked her to go with him and due to her father giving her a lecture on her avoidance of her betrothed during the Christmas holidays, Andromeda reluctantly agreed to try and make more of an effort with Oliver and by agreeing to go to the village with him, there wasn't any other solution. So when that dreaded Saturday came, she met Oliver outside the entrance to Honeydukes and after a slight bit of hesitation, she slipped her arm through his. Nott led the two of them up the high street, passing Ted and Delia on the way. Oliver glared at Ted to which Andromeda guessed he didn't like her friendship with a muggleborn and luckily her betrothed didn't notice the friendly smile and look of apology that she gave to Ted.

They entered the teashop, with Nott telling her to sit at a table whilst he went to get them both a coffee. The decor of the shop was too pink for her liking and the golden cherubs that floated above the small round tables were ridiculous, throwing red and pink heart shaped confetti all over the place every now and then. As she drummed her fingers on the table impatiently, Nott returned to the table with two cups of coffee.

She listened to Oliver's ramblings about something unimportant that had happened in his History of Magic class the day before and she began to wonder how much longer it would be until she could part ways with him. But on the other hand, she thought it was nice of him buying her a coffee but his efforts to win her affections were pointless. The more time she spent with him, the more her thoughts of him were correct. He wanted a dutiful wife to bear his sons and obey his every word. She was independent and liked to do her own thing.

Andromeda barely registered when Nott leaned over the table and took her hand with a tight squeeze. She met his stare and gave him a small smile, just to reassure him that she had been listening and was enjoying his company. Oliver returned her smile and watched her as she took a gulp of coffee. Just with his eyes watching her possessively made her skin crawl.

"Do you have any plans for the Easter holidays yet?" Nott asked.

Andromeda shrugged, "Not yet, I think we may be going home but it depends on the work load that Narcissa and I have." she replied.

Nott's smile fell which cause her to sigh heavily, clearly her response wasn't the one he had been hoping for.

"What's wrong?" she questioned, with fake concern. But not so fake that she hoped that he thought she was genuinely worried about him.

"I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me to Diagon Alley in the holidays, that's all." Nott admitted.

Andromeda blinked, knowing that he would have asked her to spend time with her at some point during their time off from school. She didn't know what to say, if she agreed to his request then it would most likely be the two of them alone. No other students around them like their time together during Hogsmeade visits. She bit her lip in hesitation.

"I'm not making any promises but you have to ask my father's permissions as it would be just the two of us alone. So if Narcissa and I decide to return home then yes I'll go with you. But like I said, I don't know what my plans are as of yet." Andromeda said firmly.

His face lit up like a small child on Christmas day as he gave her hand another squeeze, she rolled her eyes at his excitemnent.

"I'll write to your father when we return to the castle." Nott informed her.

"Great." Andromeda muttered, knowing that her father would grant his permission to Nott's request.

"Like I said, no promises." Andromeda affirmed.

Nott nodded his head in understanding but his excited smile remained. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

><p>Ted sat in The Three Broomsticks, waiting for Delia to return from the crowded bar with their drinks. Their date had been going rather well so far, having bought her a little necklace from the jewellery shop in Hogsmeade just before Christmas. His relationship with Delia had been the longest that he had ever had and he had no idea of what to buy his girlfriend for the special day, so with Andromeda's help he used the owl order service to request a catalogue and Andromeda picked out the nice necklace as his gift to his girlfriend. Dealia had loved it and agreed to go with him to the village where he had treated her to a box of chocolates from Honeydukes whilst she had bought him some new potion scales to replace his old battered ones. Delia returned to their table with two gillywaters, kissing him on the cheek as she sat down.<p>

"Thanks again for the necklace, I had no idea you had good taste in jewellery." Delia thanked him.

"I wanted you to have something special and normally I wouldn't have had a clue. But I got talking to-"

"Andromeda." Delia sighed grumpily.

His smile faded as Delia shifted away from him and took a large mouthful of her drink. He tried to take her hand but she brushed him off coldly as she placed the glass on the table. Ted didn't understand why she disliked Andromeda so much.

"She's just a friend." Ted whispered, trying to assure his girlfriend that there was nothing more than friendship with Andromeda.

Delia scoffed and looked at him icily, he tried to put his arm out to touch her but was once again brushed off by his girlfriend. Ted sighed as he picked up his glass and downed the whole drink before placing the glass back on the table. He stood up and met his girlfriend's gaze, feeling rather annoyed that their good day had now been ruined by his girlfriend's jealousy.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Back to the castle, when you want to snap out of your little tantrum about my friendship with Andromeda, come and find me." Ted snapped.

Delia looked embarrassed as a few students who were sitting around them turned to look at Ted pulling on his coat and storming out of the pub. Delia went bright red and looked sheepishly down at her drink. As Ted stalked up the high street, he saw Andromeda walking arm in arm with Nott. He sighed heavily and continued to walk to the castle, deciding to ask Andromeda for advice later, wondering what he was going to do about his relationship with Delia.


	7. Chapter 7

After the blustery March came to an end and a rather wet start to April, the horrible weather was making the students of Hogwarts rather miserable. Even more so when the majority went home for the Easter holidays with a huge stack of homework set by the staff. It was the first Tuesday during the holidays and Andromeda was found sitting in the library, finishing off her last homework assignment. Due to her and Narcissa's heavy workload that term, they had decided to stay at Hogwarts to make the most of the quiet to get their work done. Oliver hadn't been pleased but her staying at school wasn't the only reason for his annoyance. The Nott family were going on a visit to Ireland to visit their grandmother so Andromeda felt happy that she didn't have to go on the date that Nott had been planning since their date on Valentine's day.

Andromeda sat at a desk situated by the restricted section in the library, her Divination book propper open as she scribbled away on ehr parchment and she was hoping to have the essay finished within the next half an hour. She had been in the library since before lunch and was hoping to have her last essay completed so that she could enjoy the rest of her holidays rather than stress about the upcoming exam season.

There was a light cough behind her which caused her to turn, seeing Ted beam down at her as he took the empty chair next to where she was sitting caused her to smile. It had been a few weeks since she had last had a conversation with her friend and due to their heavy workloads, Nott's insistance at spending quality time with her had played to her not spending much time with Ted as she used to and for that she felt guilty.

"How have you been?" Andromeda asked quietly.

Ted went through his bag, pulling out his belongings and opening his own half finished Transfigurarion essay. He looked a little stressed but she guessed that everyone felt stressed at this time of year, she remembered a year ago when she had been taken to the hospital wing to take a calming potion due to her freaking out about her OWL's.

"To be honest, I'm quite glad to actually be sitting here and talking to you." Ted sighed, pressing his quill into his ink bottle.

"What's happening?" Andromeda whispered.

"Exams, Delia, I think that the relationship might be ending soon." Ted admitted quietly.

Andromeda frowned, that last time she had seen Ted with his girlfriend they had both looked rather happy together and she secretly envied their happiness because that is what she wanted; to be happy with someone who didn't repulse her.

"Are things really that bad?"

Ted nodded, "She doesn't like my friendship with you." he replied.

She took his hand and gave it a light squeeze which caused him to look into her brown eyes. Ted had never realised how soft her eyes were and how nice it felt to be comforted by a girl he had barely known a few months ago, he had never met anyone who he could easily confide in like he could with her.

"Ted, it makes it easier then maybe we should stop being friends. I can keep my distance if it means you sorting things out wiht Delia." Andromeda suggested.

"No!" Ted stated, a little too loudly.

Andromeda looked around, gaining the glare from Madam Pince as Ted apologised for his outburst. He explained that he had come to think of her as his best friend and that just because Delia didn't like their friendship then she would have to accept it if she wanted to be with him. Andromeda felt guilty, she didn't want Ted to put her before his girlfriend.

"Anyway, how are you?" Ted asked as he began to write more to his essay.

"Relieved." Andromeda giggled.

"Why relieved?" Ted asked, continuing to write.

"Nott asked me to go to Diagon Alley over the holidays but me and Narcissa have stayed due to lots of homework and Nott's father has taken the family away to Ireland for a family visit." Andromeda explained.

Ted nodded and for the minutes that followed, they continued to write their essays in silence. The only sound of quills scratching on parchments and the sound of Andromeda rolling up her Transfiguration essay, feeling glad that she now had all her homework completed. Ted continued to write and she watched him in silence, feeling guilty that he would risk his relationship just to be friends with her.

"Ted?"

He looked up, his quill being dipped into the ink pot, "What's up?" he asked quietly.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay away?"

Ted sighed and rolled up his essay, placing all his belongings back into his bag before facing her once more.

"Andromeda, you're my best friend so why would I want you to stay away?"

"To make Delia happy." Andromeda sighed.

"Dromeda, forget about her for now. I've missed spending time with you so how about we grab some lunch and talk about other things?" Ted asked.

Andromeda gave him a small smile and packed away her own belongings, "I can do that." she said brightly.

Together, they rose from the table and left the library. Little did they know that Delia had heard the whole conversation from behind a bookcase that stood next to the table where they had been sitting. Delia came to the conclusion that her boyfriend's refusal to have Andromeda keep her distance was evidence enough that he had feelings for the Black girl.


	8. Chapter 8

The night before the new term was due to start up and the students would be preparing for the exams in a few weeks time, Andromeda snuck through the dimly lit corridors of the castle, after arranging to meet Ted at the top of the astronomy tower. Tonight the two of them were going to watch shooting stars in the sky, a rare thing that only happened every few hundred years. Andromeda, being named after a constellation, had always wanted to see something as magnificent as this and Ted seemed to be the perfect person to witness a moment like that with.

She reached the bottom of the winding staircase that led to the astronomy tower and she began to tiptoe up them, so that a passing teacher wouldn't hear heavy footsteps going up the stairs. The last thing she wanted was to be caught by Filch and his horrible cat. Once she reached the top and opened the door, she smiled brightly as she saw Ted standing in front of her. Andromeda hugged him tightly before taking his arm to sit on the stone cold floor so that they could look up at the pitch black sky. It was a good thing that it was a clear night.

"Does anyone know you're here with me?" Ted asked.

Andromeda grinned as she looked at him, "I didn't tell anyone I was sneaking out, not even Narcissa." she replied with a shake of the head.

"Do you know when it-"

But Ted was cut off as they both looked up, streaming across the sky were fast white lights that shone for only a second or two. But it was amazing, beautiful even and Ted looked at Andromeda with a big smile as he watched her look up at the sky in pure fascination. She couldn't describe how something so amazing could make her feel so content and forgetful of the troubles in their lives but she was grateful for the minutes of forgetfulness.

"It's beautiful." Andromeda breathed, continuing to look at the streaming jets of light.

"Yes." Ted agreed slowly, "It's amazing."

The two didn't hear the rustling behind them and it wasn't until a low chuckle they both looked round, hearts pounding at who was sat behind them. Andromeda didn't know what to think would happen when she saw the Headmaster approach from the shadows, wearing a light blue set of robes and matching hat, his silver hair and beard tied into a loose ponytail.

"I couldn't agree more." Dumbledore said calmly, admiring the night's sky.

Andromeda swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing that the Headmaster would probably ask Slughorn to write to her parents about her sneaking out and she had never had a letter sent home before by a teacher.

"Professor.." she began, "I can explain-"

Dumbledore held a hand up and chuckled lightly again which caused Andromeda to fall silent instantly, handing her head in shame that she had the idea of sneaking out and getting both her and Ted into trouble.

"Amazing things shooting stars, although the correct term is meteors. Meteors travel so fast across the sky that they look like shooting stars. But no matter, it's still a truly beautiful sight to behold." Dumbledore mused.

Ted looked at Andromeda, giving her a reassuring smile that he didn't mind if they got detention, that it had all been worth it because his troubles with Delia had been forgotten temporarily and he had enjoyed the experience. Dumbledore looked at the two students and smiled as if he was amused.

"Miss Black, Mr Tonks." the Headmaster addressed them, "I believe it's time to call it a night."

"Yes Sir." Andromeda said quickly, rising to her feet.

Ted rose to his and looked at Dumbledore confused, "Aren't we in trouble Sir?" he asked.

Andromeda nudged Ted playfully in the ribs, hoping that they could get away with not getting a detention and now Ted had reminded the Headmaster of the fact that they had broken a school rule.

"Consider this a warning, next time it'll be detention. Now back to your beds and sleep." Dumbledore replied quietly.

"Thank you Sir." Andromeda smiled.

The two quickly dashed through ther door, quickly walking down the staircase until they were halfway down. Andromeda turned to face Ted and laughed quietly, thinking herself lucky not to have been in too much trouble and that the Headmaster had let them go without any punishment.

"That was close." Ted sighed with relief.

Andromeda grinned, "I suppose it would have been worth it, we got to witness something amazing." she stated.

"It was amazing." Ted agreed.

"I wonder if my family have ever watched meteors before and that's how they came up with the family tradition." Andromeda mused, continuing their walk down the spiral staircase.

Ted stopped on a step a little further down causing Andromeda to stop and turn to look at him curiously.

"Wha tradition?" Ted asked, a little confused.

"Our family are named after constellations." Andromeda explained, continuing the walk once more.

"Oh right, is that why you all have weird names?" Ted teased.

They reached the bottom of the staircase and hid behind a tapestry so that they wouldn't get caught by patrollers. Andromeda poked him on the arm out of annoyance, everyone thought the Black names were weird.

"There are odd exceptions like Narcissa for example, she's named after the flower Narcissus but then again you could also say that Narcissus is a constellation also so she's techincally named after both." Andromeda said quietly.

"I don't really know much about star gazing if I'm honest." Ted replied.

"Well I suppose it's a good thing I like you for other things." Andromeda teased but with a smile.

"Like what?" Ted asked.

"You're genuine, honest and you see me differently than the other students here." Andromeda replied.

Ted met her gaze, leaning forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. For a moment their look was warm until Ted whispered, "They don't know you like I do, don't forget that I can see the real you whilst Nott only sees what he wants you to be."

Andromeda smile and wrapped her arms around Ted, hugging him tightly once more. It felt more than great to have made a friend in Ted, someone she could confide in very easily and someone who she trusted with her life, unlike the other people she knew. Her other friends in Slytherin whispered about her behind her back and even her sister disapproved of the fact she tried to make friends with muggleborns. But Ted was entirely different.

After a minute or two, they stepped apart and faced one another.

"Thank you, this holiday has been amazing and it's been great to spend time with you again." Andromeda said warmly.

"And you as well, thanks for listening to me moan about Delia I feel better for it." Ted thanked.

Andromeda smiled as they left the passageway, heading down to the entrance hall and found themselves lucky that no teachers were patrolling that area at present.

"I'll see you in the morning, Goodnight Ted." Andromeda said brightly.

"Goodnight Dromeda." Ted replied.

He watched as Andromeda headed in the direction that would take her down to the dungeons. _She truly is a remarkable perso_n, he thought to himself as he followed her and headed in the direction of his dormitory.


	9. Chapter 9

The sun was shining brightly practically every day as May came to Hogwarts, the grass freshly cut and the tempature rocketing ridiculousy high for spring that some of the students were diving into the lake fully clothed just to cool down. It was one morning that he had a free period inbetween exams that Ted entered the grounds, on his way to meet Delia. Thing sbtween him and his girlfriend had been a bit difficult lately and he thought that by spending time wiht her might be nice for both of them. He passed tthe many students who were sat in a circle with their friends, lying on their stomachs with their books propped open on the grass, trying to revise for their exams.

Delia was sat a little way from the lake with two of her friends, laughing and smiling. Ted sat next to her, kissing her cheek and saying hello which earned him a light smile.

"Can we go for a walk? Just us two?" he whispered.

She nodded, bidding her friends goodbye as the two of them stood up. As they walked, she took hold of Ted's hand and gave it a light squeeze. They didn't go anywhere in particular, just walked around the entire grounds hand in hand.

"So, how have you been?" Delia asked.

"Okay, how about you?." Ted replied

"A little stressed, they say fifth and seventh year is most stressful for exams but I feel more stressed this year than last! and it's my sister's birthday in a few weeks..."

His attention trailed offf to two girls sitting near Hagrid's hut as they passed, Andromeda sitting with her sister studying. She looked happier than she had in recent weeks and he couldn't help but smile, still aware that Delia was nattering on about her family. Ted could tell that Narcissa had seen him and was throwing Andromeda a disapproving look whilst muttering the words "_That mudblood is staring at you." _which caused Andromeda to look round and wave at him. Delia stopped chattering and looked at her boyfriend whose eyes were still on Andromeda. Her face falling, she cleared her throat and Ted snapped out of his daydream and looked back down at Delia.

"Sorry, my mind drifted away for a moment." Ted apologised.

Delia inhaled a sharp breath before huffing, "No you weren't, you were thinking about her!" she exclaimed.

"Who?"

"Andromeda Black!" Delia complained.

Ted sighed, knowing that once again he would be having the same argument with Delia and not understanding why she didn't get that he and Andromeda were just friends and that there was nothing more between them, that she was engaged to someone else.

"Delia, do we have to have this conversation again?" Ted asked lazily.

His girlfriend looked angry, as she usually did when the topic of Andromeda came up between them. Delia released his hand, shaking her head as she looked him directly in the eye.

"She's always coming between us Ted." she stated.

Ted rolled his eyes, "No she isn't, you're just paranoid-"

"You're in love with her!" Delia cried.

Ted froze, wondering if he had misheard what his girlfriend had just said to him. In love with Andromeda? He looked at his girlfriend with a look of confusion which caused Delia to scoff in disblief that her boyfriend didn't even realise what had been going on the entire time.

"How couldn't you realise you have feelings for her?" she hissed.

"I don't-"

"Ted, don't deny it. It's obvious to everyone, including me!" Delia declared.

And it was then as he stood to the spot, numbed by Delia's declaration of his love for Andromeda, that thoughts began to run through his head of how much he had come to realise that he couldn't be without Andromeda in his life. Since they first met, they spent a lot of time together and how he enjoyed arranging to do something with her and wanting to cheer up her and offer her comfort when she was upset. How he loved her smile and loved to hear her laugh at his bad jokes, how he could see the difference that nobody else saw. Memories with Andromeda played back in his head as he came to realise that he was in love with his best friend.

After several minutes of silence, he looked at Delia who stood before him with a look of satisfaction etched across her face, having come to realise that her boyfriend was starting to come to realise of his feelings for Andromeda. Ted felt a tight pang in his chest as he realised that his girlfriend was speaking the truth and he looked at her with guilty eyes, he was supposed to be in love with Delia; his girlfriend of nearly a year. All the arguments that they had over this topic and the whole time she had been right, he felt sorry for those times and sorry for the fact that he had concluded that she was just jealous of his friendship with Andromeda, the girl he realised now that he couldn't have.

"Delia, I'm so sorry." Ted apologised.

She let out a heavy sigh but soon gave him a small and reassuring smile that she wasn't angry anymore.

"Ted, it's time we go our separate ways." Delia muttered, giving him a sympathetic pat on the arm before walking off to rejoin her friends.

He simply nodded, not registering that she was already two feet away but he agreed with the break-up, there was no point in carrying on their relationship. Delia deserved to be with someone who actually loved her and who didn't have feelings for anyone else. Ted looked over to where Andromeda was sitting, waving back at her and smiling, his heart beating slightly back at her as she ignored her sister's disgusted look. If only there was a way that they could be together.


	10. Chapter 10

Andromeda sat on the window seat in her bedroom, looking out on the sun shining over their gardens and she couldn't feel more alone. On her return from Hogwarts for the summer holidays, her father had told her that she would be spending more time with Oliver discussing wedding plans and each time she had been alone with him so far, he had dropped hints on what their wedding night would be like; even going as far as to have his sister Jemima pick out sexy lingerie for her which made her feel uncomfortable. But what could she say? She was trapped in this engagement and there was no way out, the only person who made her feel better was Ted and she wouldn't be able to see her best friend again until September.

She didn't notice the light knock on her bedroom door and nor did she notice that her sister had entered the room until Narcissa cleared her throat. She looked up at Narcissa, wondering what she wanted.

"What is it Cissy?"

Narcissa looked around the room, the letter she had yet to reply to Ted was sat on her desk to which her sister rolled her eyes and gave her usual disgusted look that she could be friends with a muggleborn.

"Your precious mudblood? Has he professed his love for you yet?" Narcissa mocked.

"It isn't like that Narcissa." Andromeda hissed.

"It's obvious to everyone but you and he and of course the dense boy you are supposed to be marrying next summer." Narcissa laughed.

"Why are you so cruel about Ted? He's a lovely boy." she stated.

"He is a mudblood, they are dirty little cretins. Did you not listen to mother when we were children? Their kind should not even be at Hogwarts." Narcissa cried.

"What do you want?"

Andromeda stared at her sister, determined to let the conversation of her friendship with Ted drop, she didn't care what her sister thought about her best friend; he was the one who made her feel better in her misery.

"Mother is picking up the dresses for the Goyle's wedding anniversary party, she wants to know if you want to come." Narcissa said.

Andromeda shook her head, "I'm not in the mood." she mumbled.

"Suit yourself." Narcissa shrugged and left the room.

Andromeda heard the front door to the manor slam shut and finally she felt some relieve at being left home alone, her father was having lunch with some people from the Ministry. She left the window seat to sit at her desk to reply to Ted's letter, her only source of comfort in this world.

_Dear Ted, _

_Thanks for your letter, it's the only thing that I look forward to these days. I could quite literally throw up the entire contents of my stomach, it's the Goyle's 17th wedding anniversary party tomorrow nigth and as usual my family are attending, with my father insisting that Nott chaperone me the entire event. It's bad enough that I've already been forced to spend three days this week with him planning this stupid wedding and having to listen to his plans for the 'wedding night' that I don't want to happen but it seems to be that my nightmares are coming true._

_My father refuses to allow me to have a day to myself because 'It isn't proper for a young lady to go out alone.' I didn't realise that we still lived in the 1920's. He says that keeping me in the house is helping me to learn how to run a household for when I get married and produce Nott's children, just the thought of his plans for us makes my skin crawl. The thought of Oliver becoming my husband and him claiming his conjugal rights makes me skip my meals because I know I'll only be throwing them up later. I wish I hadn't agreed to this but I suppose it's too late now. Why can't I have someone like you? Someone who gets me, understands me and more importantly sees me for who I am and not what they want me to be. _

_The only thing that is allowing me to be myself this summer is writing these letters in secret to you. Fahter believes that I'm writing to Nott and seems pleased by it but as usual, Narcissa expresses her loathing of it. Not that I care. You've been a true friend to me and hope that you will continue to be for hte rest of my life because I've never met anyone like you before. You're the bestest friend that I could have ever asked for and I love you for that. I'm sorry that you've had to listen to my troubles and my pathetic letters of complaint about Oliver but I can't ever thank you enough for always being there for me. _

_But enough about me, how is everything for you? Has Delia mentioned anything about getting back together? _

_I hope you're having a good holiday, I can't wait to see you on 1st September. _

_I miss you._

_Love, _

_Dromeda._

She sealed the parchment with the Black family crest and sent it off with Rolfe, the owl that Bellatrix had given her for her seventeenth birthday. The summer holidays were only halfway through but they had been terrible so far. She had asked for some time alone outside the family manor but Cygnus had refused, she just wanted some air to breathe out in society alone, to be a normal teenager without having to worry about her upcoming marriage next year and how she only had a year left to try and find a way out of it.

But only the thoughts of her best friend kept her sane and although she was impatient to get back to Hogwarts, she knew that each day that she counted and that had passed, it was only a day less that she had to wait to board the train again. Andromeda had never had a best friend like Ted, someone who she could confide in and trust with her life, who wouldn't betray her thoughts or feelings like her pureblood friends had done so in the past.

Recently she had been there for Ted, feeling slightly guilty that due to the closer that they got it had meant the end of his relationship with Delia before they returned home for the summer holidays. She had asked what had been the cause of the breakup, had even suspected that it was down to her being friends with him but Ted didn't want to talk about the split and she guessed that it was because he needed to get used to the fact that he asnd Delia weren't together anymore.

Andromeda hadn't realised how much time had passed when Rolfe returned with Ted's reply, dropping the letter on the desk before returning to his perch in the corner. She tore the letter open, smiling as her eyes landed on the familiar handwriting.

_Dear Dromeda,_

_You don't need to apologise or thank me for being your friend, I enjoy listening to your problems and feel honoured that you could confide in me so easily; it shows that you really trust me and in regards to your sister's prejudices, I feel glad that I know you are different from Narcissa. I'm sorry to hear that you are still hurting and I wish that I was there to comfort you in person. But if I did, your family would curse me. Just remember that I am always here for you, Andromeda, no matter if it's in person or through letters. Like I said above, I don't mind listening because it flatters me that you have so much trust in me, the same trust that I have in you. _

_I don't like Oliver either, he's a horrible bully and needs to take some lessons in personal grooming. Did you know he actually warned me off you once? It humoured me that he was telling me who you were and it made me realise that he had no clue about you, I guess I should be flattered that he's jealous of our friendship, that he feels threatened by how close we are and that I could steal you away from him if you wanted me to. He said that I couldn't offer you anything as an attempt to warn me away from you but the only way I would stop being in your life is if you told me so. _

_I'm currently in Cornwall for a holidays with my parents and sister visiting my Nan. It's her birthday next week and we tend to visit her for a week to celebrate. Fortunately, I don't have to pretend that I'm a muggle because my whole family know my secret and they embrace my magic. I'm afraid that there is no hope in me and Delia getting back together because there's someone else and to be honest I'm glad that Delia and I have ended it because there would be no more arguments. _

_Be strong, we'll see each other again in a few weeks. I know that i may seem a long way away now but it will soon be the start of our last year at school together and I promise you, that I will make your seventh year one to remember. Just remember that people think that they know you by having high expectations of you, your father for instance thinks that he knows you because you're the obedient daughter who didn't kick up a stink about an arranged marriage to someone you really detest but try to like because you want to make him happy. Nott thinks that because you're spending more time with him, you'll be the obedient and loving wife and provide him with sons but that isn't you. I'm sorry if this offends you but the pureblood society is resistant to change and they make these arranged marriages in hope of alliances should they need it in future. These people, they've never stopped and looked at you, not properly because if they had, they would see the girl that I saw the first time we met. These people, they don't know you like I do. _

_Andromeda, I just want you to try your best to be happy because nothing would make me happier than to see you try. _

_I miss you too._

_Love,_

_Ted._

She found herself re-reading the letter from Ted several times, with it bringing tears to her eyes because she felt better the more she read it. But when she read the part about there being someone else, what did he mean? Was there someone else for Delia and that's why the relationship had ended? Or had he moved on and liked someone else? Why did it bother her so much, what was it to her if her friend liked someone else and ended it with Delia?

That's when it hit her. She missed Ted, much more than she missed her other friends. His letters were a comfort to her, more than they should have been if they were just from a friend. Ted knew her better than anyone else, she confiding her deepest secrets to him that she wouldn't even share with her sister, why would she do that if Ted was nothing more than her friend as she had been telling herself ever since she had met him.

She was in love with him.

She was in love with him.


	11. Chapter 11

The clock chimed midnight as darkness filled the chilly corridors in the castle, the only source of light came from the wands of patrolling prefects, yawning as they knew that their patrols would soon be over. It was as Andromeda stood quietly in the passage way, leaning against the wall as she heard the meows of a cat somewhere down the corridor that she hoped she wouldn't be found stalking through the corridors after curfew.

So much had changed for her since starting her final year at Hogwarts and never before had she felt more suffocated. Her father forced hre into spending more time during the summer holidays with Oliver only to have him try and touch her in a way that her mother would deem inappropriate and each time she pushed him away and said they had to wait, she could see the frustration grow even more in his eyes and look at her like a piece of meat. Of course, being the daughter of Cygnus Black, she obeyed her father's command to keep spending time with Nott but it made her feel physically sick, having even thrown up at the Goyle's wedding anniversary when Nott wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear about finding a more private place to go.

But for the first time she recognised that she had feelings for someone else, a fair haired boy the same age as her who was in Hufflepuff. A boy who became her friend, her confidante and it was because of his kindness that she felt that there was more between the two of them than friendship. He offered her comfort over the summer through letters and it became the only way of still feeling like herself. Ted offered sympathy, compassion and a good ear for her to share her problems and it was then that she knew that she was in love with Ted Tonks. For now, she was what she needed to stay sane. Tonight, she had arranged to meet Ted at the top of the astronomy tower for a talk and although he didn't know it, she was going to tell him how she felt about him and she hoped that he felt the same way about her.

She crept through the blackened corridor, tiptoeing up the winding staircase that went up to the top of the astronomy tower. Her heart hamered in her chest, her nerves growing as to whether she would find Ted waiting at the top for her and to what he would say when she finally confessed her feelings for him. A part of her wanted to conceal the feelings, afraid that she would lose his friendship but she couldn't deny them; she had to be honest with Ted. When she reached the top of the tower, she smiled and felt relieved that Ted was stood opposite her. He smiled at her with a huge smile, the kind of smile she had noticed that he only ever gave her. This made Andromeda feel the hope that she needed, the hope that everything would be okay after her confession.

Andromeda rushed over to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugged him, feeling so happy that he was here. Ted laughed in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her and returned her embrace, for a few minutes there was nothing but the two of them; standing on top of the astronomy tower in the light wind and the sound of the occasional owl hooting in the background.

When Andromeda pulled away, Ted looked at her through quizzical eyes and it was then that she took a deep breath.

"What was it you wanted to talk about? Ted asked.

Smiling slightly she said, "Ted, you've been an amazing friend to me. Given me so much relieve over the summer, hope that I can still be myself. But then I came to realise that you mean more to me than just a friend."

Looking at Ted, she was unable to tell what he was thinking. His expression remained blank as if he was taking in what she had just told him. _Oh shit, _she thought to herself, _"I've ruined my friendship with him now, he's not saying anything. He doesn't feel that way about me, oh shit!_

Ted looked at her in the eyes and smiled, causing her to stop feeling stupid at her admission and the worry over losing their good friendship was gone. He took her hand and stepped closer to her, not looking away.

"Andromeda, do you know how long I've waited for you to say that?" Ted asked happily.

She felt her jaw drop, that was the last thing she expected for him to say. Releasing a sigh of relief, she wrapped his arms around his shoulders as his went to her waist and slowly their lips met. Her first kiss with someone she was falling for and it couldn't have been more perfect, just the way that she felt the butterflies in her stomach, the smile that Ted gave against her lips and the way his hand cupped her face to deepen it; in that moment nothing else mattered but the two of them.

When they pulled apart, Ted rested his forehead against her own.

"Dromeda, what's going to happen?" Ted whispered.

Andromeda bit her lip, not knowing what he meant by his question. But as he explained to her that she was already engaged and expected to marry a pureblood because she felt a duty to her father, to her family, her heart sank. She didn't know what she was going to do but for now she just wanted to be with Ted and not think about the vile boy she was getting married to next summer.

"I'll figure it out eventually but I need to be with you, just to make this year bearable. I could really fall for you and as much as I don't want to because it would be painful, I want to be able to say that I loved someone once and I want that person to be you." Andromeda declared, her thumb stroking against his cheek as she cupped his face in her hands.

"This will end, we both know it will." Ted sighed.

"Isn't it better to be together and make the most of the time we have together then not be together at all and regret it for the rest of our lives? Because I know I would if we didn't." Andromeda replied.

"We can't stay friends now we've acknowledged our feelings and I can't be without you in my life either. Let's be together, just one year if that's all we have and let's make it a good one." Ted smiled.

Andromeda pressed her lips to his own once more as he tucked her brown hair behind her ear and for a while they kissed each other, both promising to make the other happy during the year they would have together. But little did they know that in the shadows, a newly made prefect was watching them. Narcissa crossed her arms and shook her head, disgusted and angry that her sister had been denying the feelings for the mudblood all summer and now she had caught them sneaking out to kiss on the astronomy tower.

Narcissa decided not to turn them in as she walked down the stairs to rejoin the patrol, if she did then Slughorn would write to their parents and Andromeda would be severely punished. She loved her sister and didn't want that for her but at the same time she felt betrayed to know that her sister had gone against everything that their mother had taught them about mudbloods when they were children and that only fuelled her determination to rid her sister of this mudblood whatever it took.


	12. Chapter 12

Once again, the usual hype of excitement was buzzing around the school as the annual Halloween trip to Hogsmeade came about. The new third year students were looking forward to exploring the village and for once, Andromeda was feeling rather excited too. It would be her first date with Ted and most people were under the impression that they were going to the village together as friends, even Nott who wasn't particularly happy about her 'friendship' with a 'mudblood' but she was rather glad that Nott wasn't able to ask her to the village.

Oliver, having failed to hand in his Transfiguration homework for the second time, had been given detention; scrubbing out cauldrons without magic on the day that the trip was scheduled. Andromeda was happy about this, it meant that she could actually be with Ted and not have Oliver brathing down her neck about their wedding plans. There had actually been another development in her wedding, having received a letter from her father the previous week saying that the wedding had been moved from July to December after she graduated, making her cheer for joy that she had a little more time to try and find a way out of the wedding.

But for now, she was going to with Ted. She was falling in love with him and couldn't just remain his friend, it was too painful not having more. Having discussed this with Ted he had told her that it would hurt him to love her from afar and want her in ways that went beyond friendship. The two had also agreed not to discuss their future, one they knew they didn't have together. They both knew that they only had a year at most together and then they would go their separate ways, wiht Andromeda marrying to make her father happy and Ted to move on to someone else as well. They had agreed that their relationship was something that the two of them could look back on when on their deathbeds and hve no regrets at the memories they made.

It was as Andromeda was leaving her dormitory when Narcissa grabbed her arm and shoved her back inside the empty room, locking the door and casting a silencing charm to prevent them from being disturbed. Andromeda scowled and checked her watch, she was going to be late if her sister was going to keep both of them locked in here.

"I know what you are doing." Narcissa started.

"Doing what?"

Narcissa scoffed slightly which caused Andromeda's heart to race as the look on her sister's face told her what she didn't want anyone to know.

"I saw you, snogging that filthy mudblood on top of the astronomy tower. Did you really think that no-one would catch you? Are you his whore now? You are supposed to be marrying Oliver Nott next year." Narcissa hissed.

"You saw me?" Andromeda asked, mortified.

She watched as her sister nodded, "And I will be telling father, make the most of the time you have left with the mudblood because you do not have much time left." Narcissa said bitterly.

Andromeda knew that her sister would never approve of her relationship with Ted but she was sick of being greeted by evil glares and tutting if Narcissa saw her meeting Ted's eye at dinner, it had always been that way; even before she had started dating Ted. She didn't want to give Ted up because he was her only source of happiness and it was hope that her sister wanted her to be happy which caused her plead.

"Please Cissy, you can't tell anyone. Ted, he's the only thing that keeps me happy. I don't want this marriage, I don't want to be Oliver's and I know I made a promise to father but please just keep this secret. For me, as your sister, please just let me be happy this last year." Andromeda implored.

Narcissa scoffed again but her eyes softened, Andromeda noticed and she hoped that maybe, just maybe that Narcissa would be talked round into keeping her 'sordid' little secret.

"Be discreet but if I catch you again I will tell father. But I have a few more conditions." Narcissa warned.

Andromeda gulped, "Name them." she said.

"If father finds out on his own, I knew nothing about it. If you get dragged into the gutter for your mistake then I will not be dragged with you otherwise I will kill you myself, the same goes for if Bella finds out." Narcissa warned.

"Thank you-"

"Do not thank me. I hardly know who you are anymore." Narcissa said bitterly, uncasting her spells and leaving the room.

Andromeda took a slow walk from the common room as she was on her way to meet Ted. She knew that her sister was meeting up with Jemima, Oliver's younger sister. She greeted Ted in the entrance hall and joined the small queue of people that were lining up to sign out. They didn't talk until they had signed their signature on the sheet of parchment and started to make their way down the path.

"Are you okay?" Ted asked quietly.

Andromeda sighed heavily, "Narcissa knows about us." she whispered.

They didn't stop walking but Ted looked concerned that someone knew about their relationship.

"How?" he questioned.

"She saw us that night on the astronomy tower, she's a prefect now." Andromeda explained.

"What did she say?"

"Narcissa threatened to go to my father but she promised she wouldn't as long as we're discreet but she still doesn't approve. The only other reason she won't tell is because I told her that I wanted one year of happiness before I marry that vile boy." Andromeda muttered.

"Dromeda, I don't want to be the reason why you fall out with your sister." said Ted.

They reached the bottom of the path and walked out of the high metal gates, walking in silence for a few minutes as they continued their walk towards the already crowded village. She didn't know where they would go first but they walked a little slower in order to continue their conversation while they wouldn't be overheard.

"We're sisters, it's our job to fight. As long as we keep our relationship low key and she doesn't catch us again then we're fine. As long as we are discreet, my father will never know." Andromeda replied.

He nodded stiffly, "Then discreet it is." he agreed.

The couple decided to give honeydukes a miss for now, deciding to go in there last. They went to the quill shop first so that Ted could buy a new one having broken his whilst doing homework the night before. Andromeda wasn't really in the mood for shopping after her conversation with her sister and although she kept smiling and assuring Ted she was fine, he could tell that she wasn't. They decided to go for a walk, strolling off the main path that connected to the high street and headed for a deserted field with long grass; the perfect place to sit and talk privately because they knew they wouldn't be seen by anyone.

They sat down on a patch of grass that had been trodden on and so lay flat on the ground, they both stared up at the cloudy sky with patches of pale blue sneaking in between.

"Don't let her get to you, I know it's easier said than done but we agreed that this year would be a happy one for both of us." Ted muttered.

Andromeda met his eyes, so full of concern that she wasn't happy.

"I want to be happy, more than anything."

"But?"

Andromeda inhaled sharply, "But I'm already falling in love with you and it's only been a few weeks. We don't have a future, we only have now and that hurts me." she admitted.

Ted took her hand, "That's true, it hurts me to. But it's like you said, we only have now. We won't dwell on what the future holds for us because we know this will end soon so let's make the most of our time together Dromeda. Be happy with me, one day at a time." he whispered.

She was taken by surprise when he leaned over and kissed her. Andromeda loved the way that Ted kissed her, it made her feel that nothing else mattered; that they were the only two people in the world. Having so much pressure on her made her feel like she was drowning and Ted was the air that filled her lungs that depended on her survival. He gaver her life meaning, he made her want to live and not just exist in this world, he made her feel like the person she knew she was but was expected to keep hidden and be the person that her family expected her to be. Ted told her that he felt the exact same way as she did about him, he had been a nobody before. He had blended in to the background so that 'popular' people could take the spotlight, as was the case with his relationship with Delia. When he had been with Delia it had been about what Delia had wanted, what Delia needed to be happy and Ted's happiness took a back seat because of it but now his relationship with her was about the two of them equally.

When they broke apart, they both smiled at the other. Ted placed his arm around her shoulder and they fell backwards, lying on the grass as they continued to look up at the clouds; pointing out if a certain one looked like an animal or an object. Andromeda curled up into his side, resting her head on his chest as she sighed happily, this couldn't be more perfect.


	13. Chapter 13

Oliver paced the empty Slytherin common room impatiently, waiting for Andromeda to return from dinner. Lately she had been even more distant and distracted and he wanted to know why. He thought that she was upset that their wedding had been pushed back a few more months, he certainly had been but he never got the chance to talk to her about it because she never seemed to be around.

But she did seem a lot different since their return to Hogwarts, almost like she was a lot happier. He guessed it was because she wanted to enjoy their last year at school, it was the last time they'd ever be in Hogwarts after all. He did however, notice that the mudblood she spent the majority of her time with the previous year was still hanging around her. Nott gritted his teeth together at the mere thought of the mudblood, clearly he would have to issue another warning to the lowlife scum.

It was getting nearer to curfew and most of the students in Slytherin had already retired to their dormitories for the night, only the prefects had gone out because they were due to start their night time patrols. He didn't know that Andromeda could take quite a while to eat a meal and was determined to sort that out by the time that they were married.

He turned to the sound of the wall opening and saw two girls chattering away, pleased to see that it was Andromeda and her sister. Oliver walked over to them with a questioning expression on his face and when he looked to see Narcisssa was glaring at him, he made a shooing gesture towards her. But the youngest Black girl refused to leave her sister's side which annoyed him further.

"Where were you?" Nott demanded, quite angrily.

Nott didn't notice that Narcissa raised her eyebrows and tutted at his demand but focussed on Andromeda who looked taken aback by his angry outburst.

"I was eating my dinner with Narcissa." Andromeda replied stiffly.

"It took you nearly forty-five minutes to eat your dinner?" Nott questioned, slightly doubtful to her explanation.

"She stayed behind after Arithmancy." Narcissa answered, "She was ill the previous lesson so she wanted to catch up on what she had missed, not that it is your business to question my sister's actions."

Nott raised an eyebrow and Andromeda glared at him as he considered what Narcissa told him. She was beginning to hate this side of Oliver, he was growing more possessive of her; even more than usual and that scared her. Oliver nodded his head in satisfaction causing Andromeda to feel relieved at his belief of Narcissa's story.

"I missed you." Nott whimepered, placing an arm around her waist.

"Oliver, you're a big boy. You don't need me twenty-four hours a day." Andromeda snapped.

He glared at her, getting angrier as more seconds passed. Andromeda watched as he went over to the table by the fireplace, picking up an abandoned essay that someone had left on the table and threw it in the fireplace with as much strength as he could muster. Without saying another word to her, Nott stormed up the staircase to the boy's dormitory and slammed the door shut when he reached his that Andromeda and Narcissa could hear it from the common room.

"Well that was rather pathetic." Narcissa laughed, rolling her eyes at how pathetic Nott was being.

"I know, there is plenty of time to discuss the wedding after all." Andromeda said, turning to her little sister with a grateful smile.

Narcissa rolled her eyes once more, "I am sick of covering for you." she hissed.

"What are you on about?"

"You were not catching up with a missed class." Narcissa stated in a low voice.

Andromeda blinked then sighed heavily, knowing that her sister was struggling to keep her secret. She had been discreet in her relationship with Ted, making sure that they would sneak off to places where Narcissa wouldn't catch them and had stopped sneaking out on the nights that Narcissa had her patrols because she knew that her sister meant her threat, if they were caught by Narcissa once more then her sister would tell their parents about her relationship with Ted and she feared what the punishment would be.

"I was with Ted." Andromeda confessed, "I haven't spent a lot of time with him this past week-"

"I do not care Dromeda but if you do not start making more of an effort with Oliver then he is going to suspect that you and that mudblood are more than 'friends' and I would not want to be that mudblood if your betrothed should find out." warned Narcissa.

That surprised her. Narcissa hated Oliver almost as much as she did and up until now, Narcissa had offered her sister a good ear if she ever needed to complain about her upcoming wedding to Nott next year. Her sister had always been the one person in the pureblooded world that she could talk to but maybe now it was time to face facts. Narcissa was just like Bella, she hated muggleborns and anyone who wasn't from the same background as they were and Andromeda, she could see more to a person except their heritage and blood status.

But before she could even reply, Narcissa was starting to walk up the staircase to her dormitory. Clearly they weren't going to talk more on the subject of Ted and the wedding she was supposed to go through with. If only life were a little bit simpler.


	14. Chapter 14

At breakfast the following morning, Andromeda rubbed her eyes from the little sleep that she had gotten the previous night. She had taken her sister's words to heart and was beginning to think about everything that was going on but she was still determined not to give up her relationship with Ted. Deciding that she would have to make it less suspicious by spending more time with the boy she detested.

So when she had apologised to Oliver in the common room as they were leaving for breakfast, she asked if she could sit with him in the Great Hall for breakfast and dinner. Of course, Nott was delighted and arm in arm had escorted her proudly to the Great Hall. They engaged in boring conversation as Nott rudely read the paper and chewed on one bit of toast for five minutes as her thoughts wandered to Ted, in a blissful daydream of when they would have a free period later that day.

"Andromeda? Andromeda?" snapped Nott.

She looked up at her betrothed, slightly annoyed that her daydream had been put to the end. Oliver folded the morning paper and placed in to his side, taking hold her hand tightly and rolling his eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"I was asking you if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me next week, you know the last one before the Christmas holidays?" Nott asked.

Andromeda froze, panicking as she had already agreed to go with Ted but the last thing she needed was Nott complaining or writing to his father again about her not wanting to spend quality time with him. She groaned inwardly as she made the decision that she knew that she would regret.

"Alright," she grumbled, "I'll go with you."

The usual beam came from him as he leaned across the table to stare at her even more closely.

"Good. I thought you'd be going with that mudblood friend of yours." Nott chortled.

Glaring at him she withdrew her hand from his. She hated being in Slytherin and hated everyone who had to be prejudiced against those who were different. She hated the lessons that her mother had taught her and her sisters as young girls before Bella had been the first to go to Hogwarts, she hated being a Black sometimes.

"He's not a mudblood!" Andromeda insisted.

"He is because his parents are filthy muggles!"

"How would you know? Do you know his family? No you don't, you just make an instant judgement of him without knowing what he likes or dislikes, how he was raised. You don't see the person, you just see his background." Andromeda hissed.

This time he glared at her, narrowing his eyes as he couldn't believe that a daughter of Cygnus Black was defending someone inferior to them. He grabbed her arm rather quickly and gripped tightly, causing her to gasp at the pain he was causing her.

"Listen here, you're not my wife yet so I can't force you to stop associating with that filth whilst we're at school under Dumbledore's supervision. If I forced you to stop spending time with that mudblood whilst we are still in education then I would get weekly detentions. But know this Andromeda, once we graduate, you will never see that boy again. You will not write him letters and you will not meet up with him on day trips. No contact what so ever. You belong to me, is tht understood." growled Nott.

Andromeda blinked and felt fury build up inside of her. He had no right to decide that she wasn't allowed to keep in touch with Ted when they graduated from school. He had no right to make a claim to her because she didn't belong to anyone, she guessed that Nott had become jealous of her 'friendship' with Ted and she shope that nobody else knew of the true nature of her relationship with the Hufflepuff boy.

"Are you jealous?" Andromeda dared to ask him.

His face tightened more in anger as he released her, "Of that filth!" Nott cackled, "As if!"

She raised an eyebrow, "For you to demand that I not keep in touch with Ted must mena you are. If you weren't then you wouldn't have felt the need to tell me that I'm your property and how things will be when we are married." Andromeda snapped.

He gripped her hand again, squeezing it more tightly this time. Not in the way of showing affection but in a way to show her that she didn't want to cross him and this was the first time that he had had this type of grip on her before.

"What would dear Bellatrix do if I told her that her baby sister was fraternising with a mudblood?" Nott threatened, so quietly that he made sure that only the two of them could hear.

Andromeda felt scared, just when she thought he couldn't sink any lower, he had to go and threaten her with her older sister. The one person who loathed muggleborns the most that she had joined the Death Eaters pretty much straight away after she married Rodolphus, not that many people knew that fact.

"She'd kill me Oliver and you know she would. Then we wouldn't be married so go ahead." Andromeda urged.

Nott grinned darkly, "Exactly and it would be such a waste." he whispered, his eyes travelling from her face downwards that she felt sick in her stomach.

She could tell that he was picturing her without her clothes on.

Andromeda pushed him away from her and rose from the Slytherin table as fast as she could, hurrying out of the Great Hall. She didn't look back to see whether Oliver had chosen to follow her or not, feeling the tears filling up in her eyes and knew that there was only one person who could make her forget the nasty conversation with Nott. It was one thing that he made her feel like property but it was completely out of the line that he had threatened to tell Bellatrix about her association with Ted when Oliver knew that Bellatrix would kill her for associating with 'filth'.

She burst out into the weak December sun and found Ted heading towards the paddocks for his Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Calling out his name, he turned and smiled at her when she finally caught up with him. But when he saw the look of upset on her face, he instantly pulled her to him and she cried into his chest. Ted decided to skip his lesson and walked with her, sitting on the edge of the lake as Andromeda began to explain what had happened.

Andromeda, in frustration, declared that she would write to her father and tell him everything about their relationship and that she wouldn't marry Nott. It had only been a few months that they had started their relationship and she was growing tired of having to keep Ted like a dirty little secret. Ted had taken nearly half an hour to make Andromeda see that she was only saying those things out of anger and that she loved her father and felt a duty to him.

After hearing Ted out, Andromeda had sighed and agreed with Ted. She did feel a duty to her family and had already promised her Father that she would marry Nott, there was no backing out of it now. In six months time she and Ted would have to part ways, both destined for a life separate from each other. Both were dreading that day but knew it had to come soon.


	15. Chapter 15

January's weather continued to be the same as December; cold, windy and heavy snowfall. Since returning to Hogwarts after spending Christmas at home, Andromeda found herself looking forward to her eighteenth birthday. Eighteen wasn't really much of a big deal in the wizarding world but Ted had said that in the muggle world it was the time that a person officially came of age and that they had to celebrate.

On the morning of her eighteenth she was met with the usual icy glare that she usually got from Narcissa these days, she didn't care any more. Things with Ted were going smoothly, nobody knew about their relationship because they were careful not to be seen. She made sure that she spent the right amount of time with Oliver so that he wouldn't get suspicious and she refused to even talk to Narcissa if her sister made a snide comment about her secret relationship.

Narcissa had gifted her a goblin made bracelet with her name engraved into the band, rubies sparkling when it caught the light of the fire in the common room. Bellatrix hadn't gifted her anything, she didn't expect to receive anything from her elder sister due to Bellatrix being forgetful of other people's birthdays. Her parents had sent her new dress robes from Twilfitt and Tatting's that they expected her to wear at a gathering at the Nott's house during the Easter holidays in April.

Oliver was whistling a happy tune as he came into the common room from the boy's dormitory, he kissed her cheek before sitting next to her; handing Andromeda a medium sized package wrapped in brown paper.

"Happy Birthday." Nott said cheerfully.

Andromeda smiled gratefully, touched by the gesture that he had gone to the trouble of getting her a gift.

"Thank you. You didn't have to get me a present." Andromeda replied.

"You're to be my wife, I had to get you something or you'd probably hold it against me." Oliver laughed.

Just when she thought that Oliver could do something to change her opinion of him, he had to open his mouth and ruin the moment. Andromeda turned her attention to the package and unwrapped it, opening the black box to find a metal necklace shaped into large round rings with the centre ring with a large black onyx jewel set into it. It was vulgar, definitely not her taste in jewellery; it was something more of what Bellatrix would wear.

"Do you like it?" Nott asked eagerly.

Andromeda smiled, trying to hide her surprise that Nott would think that she would like it.

"It's lovely, thank you."

"Well put it on then." Nott insisted.

She took it from the box, noting how the bracelet that her sister had gifted her didn't go with this monstrosity that Nott had bought her. But she couldn't refuse the gift in fear of offending the boy she was supposed to marry in eleven months time.

"Oliver, it looks rather expensive. If I'm seen wearing it round school, someone may snatch it from my neck for themselves." Andromeda said.

"Nonsense, put it on!"

Andromeda turned as Oliver took the necklace from her hand and fastened the clasp around her neck, it was rather heavy; she knew that she wouldn't be able to wear it all day.

"I chose it because it's black. Get it?" Nott chuckled into her ear.

She rolled her eyes, he really was dense that he had to make a joke about her last name; a rather weak joke at that. Honestly, how could her father think that Oliver was a good match in marriage for her?

The bell rang for first lesson and Andromeda was regretting not getting any breakfast. Her first lesson of the day was Divination and the last thing she needed was to be trapped in the stuffy tower. Everyone made their way through the bitterly cold corridors and up into the entrance hall when she saw that Ted was waiting for her in the doorway that led down to the kitchens. Andromeda went over to him, taking his hand as he quickly led her to the portrait of a bowl of fruit.

"We're supposed to be-"

Her sentence went unfinished as he kissed her fiercely and she lost all sense of what they were supposed to be doing. It was clear as he broke away from her and tickled the pear that they crawled through the portrait hole into the kitchens that they were going to be skiving off Divination to spend the whole double period together.

"I noticed that you skipped breakfast and due to the fact that our free periods will most likely be taken up with studying and your sister is on patrol tonight, I thought we could skive off Divination." Ted suggested.

Andromeda smiled, "That's a great idea, otherwise we wouldn't be able to see each other privately." she replied.

They sat down at one of the tables, with three house elves requesting what they could get them; with both opting for a a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea as their 'breakfast'. As the elves tended to them, Ted pulled out a small box and handed it to her.

"It's not much and it won't compare to the necklace you're wearing, but I wanted to get you something." Ted muttered.

"You didn't have to." Andromeda said, blushing as she opened the box.

Inside the box sat a gold, oval shaped locket with the letter A engraved on the front, she opened the locket to find a tiny picture of her and Ted inside. Her heart melted at the gesture and it certainly meant more to her than the present that Oliver had gifted her.

"Ted, it means everything to me." she said brightly, unclasping the necklace from Nott and replacing it with the locket.

He smiled as she let go and the necklace sat on her neck; as if it truly belonged there but just as Andromeda leaned across the table to kiss him, the elves returned with their bacon sandwiches and teas. They ate and chatted, both forgetting that they were skiving off a lesson until they had finished their second helping of apple pie and the bell for the next lesson rang. Sighing heavily, they left the kitchen before kissing each other goodbye and as Andromeda made her way up the staircase to her next lesson, she concluded that although her time with Ted that morning had been short; it was the best birthday that she had ever had.


End file.
